Very cool! Francois, I do wonder if the makers intended for the lamp light to be thrown at the high forward angle at which it's shown in your yard shot. Seems to me that's plenty of glare in an oncoming eye. For purposes of demoing the lamp's brightness, it's appropriate, yet wouldn't the throw angle be pointed more sharply down, in practice, to prevent glare ... say, removing the shadow just in front of the rider?

From my own experience with the Cyo, I would agree that in real use one should point it down further, with the top of the beam aimed at about waist level on another person.

For test photos here I think it work well though. :-)

lol, I suppose now I'll end up taking back what I wrote earlier...one of the disadvantages of that kind of beam is the need to aim it lower if it's on the bars. I originally mounted my Cyo on the bars but found that either the hot part of the beam hit people in the eyes, or I had to aim it to low, so I remounted it on the brakes and it's better. I guess my point is that a lot of the shaped lights benefit from being lower than on the bars...though on the other hand who knows, maybe they somehow designed the beam different/better because they knew it would be on the bars (while the Cyo is actually meant to be mounted on the fork).

Originally Posted by a.k.a.

If you want the Philips lamp sooner, the UPCs are these:

Silver: 8727900534917
Black: 8727900534948, 8727900534931

Cheapest prices are showing up on Amazon[dot]de and Google[dot]de[slash]prdhp

I don't know, I think the one place AA batteries do make sense is in a commuter light if it has a charger built into the light (just plug the light in and it charges the AA batteries). Completely replacing the battery with AA rechargeables costs $10 the last time I checked. Or going on an extra long trip? Bring another $10 set of batteries with you. Have you seen the replacement costs of lith-ion batteries? Dinotte is known for having relatively cheap battery replacement costs, and their smaller 2 cell battery costs $50 to replace. When I was in college, I definitely would have been willing to deal with a larger light in exchange for saving $40.

I wasn't aware of the fact that the light unit actually charges the batteries - it is probably the first light using AA batteries that can do this trick (even Dinotte can't). I used an AA Dinotte (and other AA powered lights) before and charging was one of the main nuisances.

The other thing is the bulkiness, but I could live with that....

Too bad that I already bought a L&M Urban for commuting purposes. Which doesn't have this beam pattern, but is bright as hell, has a built-in LiIon battery and costs ~100 bucks.

I'm thinking about pulling the trigger on some new lights soon. Are you going to review the 2012 stuff from Baja Designs? I think either their Dual or the 2012 Stryker on the bars plus the new Piko 3 would make an awesome, and blinding, combo. Waiting for your review before making the final decision.

So......which light is #3 already??? The suspense is killing everyone.

Hey Spec306,

MTBR will have the new 2012 Baja Designs Double Stryk, Strykr II, and Strykr SL. I shipped them out Monday so in theory they should have already arrived at the plush and well appointed Francois Lair...let the testing begin!!

I wasn't aware of the fact that the light unit actually charges the batteries - it is probably the first light using AA batteries that can do this trick (even Dinotte can't). I used an AA Dinotte (and other AA powered lights) before and charging was one of the main nuisances.

Yeah, I'm glad somebody clarified that because I was looking at the specs and scratching my head.

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."
T.S. Eliot

MTBR will have the new 2012 Baja Designs Double Stryk, Strykr II, and Strykr SL. I shipped them out Monday so in theory they should have already arrived at the plush and well appointed Francois Lair...let the testing begin!!

Shannon

Very nice Shannon I was waiting to see the Strykr's get involved in this Haha. I am curious to see how the 2012 BD line up compares.

I wasn't aware of the fact that the light unit actually charges the batteries - it is probably the first light using AA batteries that can do this trick (even Dinotte can't). I used an AA Dinotte (and other AA powered lights) before and charging was one of the main nuisances.

haha, yeah, I know of *ton* of lights and it's only the 2nd I know of that can do that. :-) The other one is the Ixon IQ - probably not coincidentally, also the only other shaped beam light that isn't a dynamo light that I've ever heard of. :-)

I also have a Dinotte AA 200L, and agree with you completely - taking out the batteries to charge them is a constant annoyance. :-)

Yes, I have the Dynamo version and the ebike version. They are a little smaller so less light. the ebike version looks like it will take any voltage from 6-36v to connect to an ebike battery. I'll test them later.

MTBR will have the new 2012 Baja Designs Double Stryk, Strykr II, and Strykr SL. I shipped them out Monday so in theory they should have already arrived at the plush and well appointed Francois Lair...let the testing begin!!

haha, yeah, I know of *ton* of lights and it's only the 2nd I know of that can do that. :-) The other one is the Ixon IQ - probably not coincidentally, also the only other shaped beam light that isn't a dynamo light that I've ever heard of. :-)

Hmm, thanks for mentioning that I had forgotten about that one. Thing is I haven't heard very good things about the beam pattern on that one, their dynamo version that's "assymetrical" which I believe this is based off on doesn't seem to have a lot of throw, heard better things about the Cyo (and the Phillips).

Though the internet is finicky so who knows, would love to see actual shots. :-)

so, Francios, someone asked earlier and I'm also wondering, what happens to the lights you test? I have to assume you send them back, but does the manufacturer sell these 'gently used' demo models?

It's a combination. We return some and keep some. We have night ride crew here in the office and we get to use/test them long term in more variable conditions. Now only if we had legal night riding here in the SF peninsula area...

Philips LED Bike Light annoyances

Yes, that is correct you don't need to take out the batteries to charge them. However, the light switches off when you are charging it.

And yes, the battery level indicator leds are distracting bright; so is the ring of light at the top of the reflector - both problems are easily solved by applying 3 layers of white electrical tape over them.

Originally Posted by PaulRivers

Oh wow, cool!

I am...trying to be helpful so if it comes across at to nitpicky let me know. But I'm confused by a paragraph the end of the article -

Also, the operation of four batteries (AA, LR6) is possible.Thanks to the battery level / charging indicator and the cyclist has his light reserves in view. Via USB port, the battery can easily power on and charge any computer.

Was it...run through google translate? "the operation of four batteries is possible" doesn't make much sense. I think the second sentence means the cyclist can see a charge indicator but "light reserves" is very weird working. The last sentence says you can power and charge a computer from the light which must be backwards, lol.

There were 2 things with this light I was curious about -
1. I assume this is true from the pics, but the light charges AA's inside the light, you just hook it up, no need to remove the batteries, right?
2. Some reviews have said that the status lights on the light itself are to bright and you can get light in your face from the light which is annoying. What do you think?

Maybe...maybe now that mtbr has reviewed it, someone will actually start selling it in the US...right now it's ebay or pay to have it shipped from Europe...

P.S. Love the pics.

Last edited by NiteBiker; 09-29-2011 at 06:31 PM.
Reason: missing title

Most of the shooting, measuring is going to happen in the next three days. Wish me luck.

I have a TON of lights.

A bunch more are coming but they're still on a ship or getting soldered somewhere:
Jet Lites, Cateye, Gemini, Hope, Lezyne

Cygolite is just not in. I'll buy all the lights myself at REI.

I rode last night at with the Piko X on the bar and the Piko 3 on the helmet. Each light is 750 lumen. It was a new level of awesome. The lights disappeared in the riding experience and the two big beam patterns sang a duet like Sonny and Cher.

I have been using Philips LED bikelight for commuting 7 month ago.
It is truely nice light because it has a cutoff-line to prevent oncoming traffic from blinding.
But if it is aimed to a bit higher from horizon, it is useful for MTB riding.
Of course, with helmet light is better, I know.
So I has an objection for Francis's opinion in the review.
>If there is a canopy, low hanging obstacles on the trail, those objects will be not visible with this light.

I do not have latest high end MTB light(they are a bit old) currently,
but I compared it with them.
All pictures were taken as EV2. You can check it the exif information in data.
That level is the same as this forum light illumination pictures.

I have been using Philips LED bikelight for commuting 7 month ago.
It is truely nice light because it has a cutoff-line to prevent oncoming traffic from blinding.
But if it is aimed to a bit higher from horizon, it is useful for MTB riding.
Of course, with helmet light is better, I know.
So I has an objection for Francis's opinion in the review.
>If there is a canopy, low hanging obstacles on the trail, those objects will be not visible with this light.

I do not have latest high end MTB light(they are a bit old) currently,
but I compared it with them.
All pictures were taken as EV2. You can check it the exif information in data.
That level is the same as this forum light illumination pictures.

The problem with the Philips not shown in your photos or mine is you put a low hanging branch in front of the camera at about eye level, 10 or 20 feet in front, it won't be visible. The Philips has no upward light spill like all other lights.

This is easily solved of course by a complementary helmet light.

I got a better Philips photo last night per the suggestion of folks in the board. I aimed it a little lower to improve the spill of the lights on the grass.